With summer underway, many of us will be working outdoors or taking care of projects indoors where it’s cool. Either way, injuries can happen.It might be a shoulder tear picked up while tossing a ball or doing lawn work or a back injury sustained cleaning out the garage or scrubbing the grill. No matter what the case, injuries stink.When pain and lack of range of motion causes a person’s quality of life to be diminished, they often worry that surgery will be necessary to fix the problem. That’s not always the case. Physical therapy is often a great way to stay out of the operating room. Physical therapists (PTs) use proven techniques and muscular research to get people back in motion. From it’s helping a patient with arthritis, a knee or shoulder tear, ankle sprain or fracture, or even a stroke, PTs can intervene and provide finely tuned exercises and activities that can prevent surgery.Physical therapists work with patients to develop a personalized plan to help them get the most out of therapy. Multiple treatments implemented by therapists may include electrical stimulation, ultrasounds, moist heat and cold packs. These treatments can decrease muscle spasms and pain in the tissues surrounding the injury. When pain is decreased – range of motion increases and the need for surgery is often diminished. Other therapy such as massage and joint mobilizations are used to restore function to injured body parts and relieve pressure after pain has decreased. All of these techniques can help patients return to their previous quality of life – and many feel even better than before their injury. A lot of people endure conditions requiring physical therapy. According to Duke University researchers, low back pain is very common, affecting most adults at some point in their lives. Patients can receive physical therapy in many places – which makes it convenient to get back to being active. Physical therapists can deliver treatment in a hospital, doctor’s office or at home. Some patients even continue prescribed exercises themselves. When surgery for an injury is necessary, physical therapy will play a large role in the recovery process. Physical therapists create individualized plans to get their patients moving again with the least amount of pain. In Berkeley County, physical therapy is now more accessible than ever. Roper Hospital – Berkeley, which has served the area for 20 years, recently opened a new physical therapy center and is accepting new patients. For an appointment or consultation, call (843) 899-7700 or toll-free at (800) 846-7707. It’s important to note that if a person is experiencing pain for a possible injury, it is recommended they visit their personal doctor first for a diagnosis to see if physical therapy is the right option.Sponsored by:
Roper St. Francis Healthcare